Solomito



Oct. 23, 1951 J. SOLOMITO MACHINE FOR MAKING COURSE HEIGHT STONE VENEER Original Filed Dec.

4 Sheets-Sheet l z; 5 fig INVENTOR. Joana! SoLOMI o,

ATTOFNEYT 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec.

\ w a 1 1 w T i I 1- it I i w w w. 8 8 m z 3 8 i 6 R W" llh.

INVENTOR. JosEPH SoLoMITo,

ATTUFNEYT Oct. 23, 195.1 J. SOLOMITO MACHINE FOR MAKING COURSE HEIGHT STONE VENEER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Dec. 25, 1946 INVENTOR. JOSEPH Sozozwro,

AT'faFNEK Oct. 23, 1951 J, SOLQMITO Re. 23,423

I MACHINE FOR MAKING COURSE HEIGHT STONE VENEER Original Filed Dec. 23, 1946' 4 Sheets- Sheet 4 I INVENTOR. JOSEPH Samara,

ATTOFNEYT Reiasued Oct. 23, 1951 MACHINE FOR MAKING COURSE HEIGHT STONE VENEER Joseph Solomito, Bloomington, Ind. Original No. 2,514,352, dated July 4, 1950, Serial No. 717,933, December 23, 1946.

Application for reissueJune 21, 1951, Serial No. 232,858

Matter enclosed in-heavy brackets appears in the original patent but forms no part of this dicates the additions made by reissue.

23 Claims.

reissue specification; matter printed in italics in l The present invention relates to a machine and method for making course height stone veener. Broadly, the product is not new, having been produced heretofore by hand and, within the past few years, by machinery.

Pieces or slabs of natural or artificial stone, having sawed or natural top and bottom surfaces are broken transversely to produce blocks whose front and rear surfaces are fracture surfaces which, as is well known, are rough in appearance, developing the highest. possible natural beauty of stone. The side edges or the slab, which become the end surfaces of theblocks, may be sawed or broken surfaces, as desired; and the top and bottom surfaces: of the slab andblocks will normally be sawed surfaces, although on occasion, it may be desirable to use natural stratified slabs whose top and bottom surfaces will be substantially parallel.

Heretofore, it has been supposed that it is'nec-. essary, in machine breaking of slabs to produce the blocks with which the present inventionis concerned, to use relatively sharp knives against the top and bottom surfaces of the slab, and to apply pressure, through those knives, gradually to the slab surfaces, whereby, the knives actually crush tapered grooves into the top and bottom slab surfaces before starting an actual break of the slab. A machine for carrying out such a process is disclosed in. the patent to Newsom 1,919,801 issued July 25,1933; and the product of that machine is shown in the companion patent to Newsom 1,919,800 issued on the same date. As is clearly shown in the latter-patent, the resultant fracture faces of the product are marred'by the dubbed off corners 6 and I produced by the crushing action of thesharp knives.

I have found that, contrary to the disclosure of the above-identified patentaimproved results can be obtained through breaking the stone by a sudden, sharp, extremely heavy impact delivered against the upper face of aslab by a dull, narrow, fiat surface extending transversely across the slab, the blow being delivered in or adjacent to the plane normalto the top and bottom surfaces of the slab and in which is located a corresponding dull, narrow, flat surface in supporting engagement with the bottom surface ofthe slab, the region inwhich the blow is delivered being, near an unsupported end portion of the slab pro: jecting beyond said supporting narrow surface.- I, have found that substantially-no crushing of the stone takes place whenit-is broken in accordance with the above procedure; and, through mechanism to be disclosed herein, blocks can be pro duced much more rapidly and efficiently than has been possible with machines heretofore known in the art.

I have also found that, if the above-described blow is delivered directly in the plane normal to the top and bottom slab surfaces and including the narrow supporting surface, the fracture will be substantially planar and normal to the top and bottom surfaces of the slab; whereas, if that blow is delivered in a plane normal to the slab top and bottom surfaces andnearer to the eX- tremity of the slab thanis the narrow supporting surface, the fracture surface will be bowed forwardly about an axis transverse to the slab and parallel with its top and bottom surfaces; and if the blow'is delivered in a similar plane farther from the slab extremities than is the narrow supporting surface, the fracture surface will be oppositely bowed.

The primary object of the present invention, then, is to provide an improved means and method for breaking stone slabs to produce veneer blocks. A further object of the invention is to provide a method of producing, with a single set of jaws, different shapes of blocks. Further objects of the invention will become apparent as the description roceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. l is an end elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention, viewed from the delivery endof the machine;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through such machine;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective, upon an enlarged scale, showing certain details of construction;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental perspective, looking down upon a fragment of the upper jaw block, and showing its slidable mounting and its adjustability;

Fig, 5 is a fragmental perspective showing thev manner in which the rear end of the slab bed is supported;

Fig. 6 is a similar perspective showing the man-.

ner in which the front end of said bed is supported;

Fig. 7 is a fragmental perspective illustrating the mounting of the jaw stop blocks;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of the fluid motor control embodied in the machine Fig. 9 is an enlarged transverse section through .one form of jaw element;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse section through a modified form of jaw element;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which one block shape may be produced; and

Fig. 12 is a similar view showing the manner in which another shape of block may be produced.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, it .will be seen that I have illustrated a frame, indicated generally by the reference numeral 20 and comprising a base 2|, upright members 22, and longitudinal side frame members 23. Ex tending transversely of the frame, and near the delivery end thereof, is a solid table 24, rigidly associated with the base, and supporting, in a suitable manner, a lower jaw element 25. Said jaw element extends transversely of the frame and substantially from side to side thereof. The jaw element 25 may take almost any desired form, except that it must be of sufiicient crushing strength to withstand the heavy Weights and heavy blows to which it will be subjected in the operation of a machine of the character here under consideration, and must provide an upwardly-presented, dull, narrow flat face. Two suitable configurations are illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, respectively. That face, which may be like the face 26 of Fig. 9 or the face 2'! of Fig. 10, should be at least 1% wide, and I presently prefer to make it about A wide. Preferably, such face will be continuous from end to end of the jaw 25, but I believe that it may be desirable,

in some instances, to interrupt it by notching the jaw 25 at spaced intervals. The advantages of such a flat, dull face over a knife blade, for work on stone, will be apparent. Not only does my jaw face substantially prevent crushing of the stone, but its very character is inherently economical, in that it does not require the frequent resharpening which is necessary when sharp blades are used against stone. At each end of the jaw 25 there is mounted a spacer block or stop 28 (Figs. 1 and 7). Each machine will be provided with a plurality of such blocks of diiferent lengths; and it will be noted that each block is formed, at its lower end, with a socket 29 adapted to receive a pin 30 upstanding from the upper face of the table 24, whereby the block 28 may be firmly held in place. 'The vertical extent 'of the blocks selected will be such as to cooperate with the upper jaw to arrest the downward movement of such jaw at a time when the spacing between the upper and lower jaws is barely less than the vertical thickness of the slab to be broken, thus guarding against material crushing of the stone.

At points near the table 24, supports 3| (Figs. 2 and 6)'are mounted upon the base 2| and carry upwardly opening cylinders 32 in which are reciprocably mounted spring press plungers 33. On the uprights 22of the frame 20 at the intake end of the machine, I provide brackets 34- (Figs. 2 and upon which are supported similar cylinders 35 reciprocably receiving spring pressed plungers 35. A'stone supporting bed 31 normally rests upon the plungers 33 and 35, with one end of said bed close to the jaw 25, and the other end thereof remote from said jaw. Preferably, the bed 31 will carry a series of transverse rollers 38 upon which a stone slab 39 may be supported to move freely, longitudinally of the bed, under the influence of gravity, when the bed is tilted out of a horizontal plane. Under normal conditions, the bed will rest on the plungers 33 and 36 in a horizontal plane, said springs being sufficiently strong to support the weight of the bed and the weight of the slab, and to withstand the effect of heavy blows delivered against the upper surface of the slab.

At points close to the forward end of the bed, the frame members 23 have secured thereto bracket plates 40 (Fig. 6) each of which is formedwith a vertical slot 4| therein. Reciprocably received in each of said slots in a bolt 52 passing through a snug opening in a bracket 43 fixed: to the bed 31, and providing a journal mounting for the forward end of the bed upon the-frame on which the bed may swing about an axis which is vertically movable.

Pivotally mounted at 44 (Fig. 2) upon the base 2| is a cylinder 45 in which is reciprocably receiveda piston 46 having a stem 41 pivotally connected at 48 to the bed 3'5. A conduit 49 leads from the base of the cylinder 45 to a fitting 50 (Fig. 8) from which a pipe 51 leads, through valve 52, to a fitting 53 to which, in turn, is.

connected a conduit 54 extending to a source of fluid under pressure (not shown), and controlled by a valve 55. The valve 52 includes an exhaust port 55 and is operable to connect the condit S9 with the conduit 54 or with the exhaust 56, or to hold said conduit 49 closed.

Pivotally mounted at 51 (Fig. 2) upon the base 21 is a second cylinder 58 in which is reciprocable a piston 59 having a stem 60 pivotally connected at 6| to the bed 37, the point 6| being near the feed end of the bed, as shown. A conduit 62 leads from the base of the cylinder 58 to the fitting 50 (Fig. 8).

Two rails 63 (Fig. 3) extend longitudinally of the machine between the table 24 and the up rights 22, respectively, and their upper surfaces are grooved, as at 64, to provide guideways for the wheels 65 of a carriage 65. Preferably, guard: rods 67, having their ends secured respectively to the uprights 22 and the table 24, immediately overlie the wheels 65; and the carriage is pro vided with hand grips 68 near its opposite ends (Figs. 1 and 3). As is clearly to be seen from aninspection of Figs. 2 and 3, the carriage 56 is movable on its trackway between a position immediately adjacent the jaw 25, but on the opposite side thereof from the bed 31, and a position at the extreme delivery end of the frame 20.

At each side of the machine, and on the delivery side of the jaw 25, I provide a pair of uprights 69, constituting a guideway for a pair of slide sleeves 10. Supported between said sieeves is a plate H formed with a pair of vertically spaced slots 12, extending in the direction of length of the machine. Supported between the plates H is a stop bar 73, said bar being provided, at each end, with a plate 14 carrying bolts 15 adapted to pass through the slots 12. Obviously, this arrangement provides for adjustment of the bar 13 in the direction of length of the machine; and said bar may be held in any desired position of adjustment by tightening down nuts (not shown) carried upon the bolts 15 on the outer sides of the plates H A bar 16 extends between the two plates H, and the stem 1'! of a piston 18 is operatively connected to said bar 16. The piston 18 is reciprocably mounted in cylinder 15, carried upon a suitable support 80, so that elevation of upper jaw- 86 may be varied by adjustment of the stop rods I02. The dimensions of the blocks severed from the slab may be varied by adjustment of the stop bar 13. -The rate of movement of the slab 39 may be varied by adjustment of the length of the chain I 04.

If it is desired to produce curved surfaces at the fractures, that can be done by adjustment of the block 85 through the medium of the bolts 88 and slot 88. As shown in Fig. 11, the jaw 86 may be moved closer to the extremity of the slab than is the jaw 25, in which case the fractures will be bowed forwardly. Adjustment of one-sixteenth of an inch will produce substantially the degree of bowing shown, and a greater degree of bowing can be produced by a somewhat greater 011- set of said jaw. Similarly, as shown in Fig. 12, an adjustment of the jaw 86 away from the extremity of the slab will produce opposite bowing of the fracture.

It is particularly to be noted that the results which I obtain flow from the delivery, to the slab, of a tremendously heavy, sudden shock, as distinguished from a crushing and wedging pressure. Furthermore, it is my present belief that flat surfaces of substantial width, in the direction of the length of the slab, are essential to the practice of the present invention, as distinguished from sharpened knives.

I claim as my invention:

1. A stone breaking machine comprising a frame, a lower breaker jaw supported on said' frame, an upper breaker jaw reciprocably mounted on said frame to move toward and awa from said lower jaw, a stone supporting bed having one end adjacent said jaws and its other end remote from said jaws, means for shifting the end of said bed remote from said jaws to move said bed between a horizontal position and a position inclined downwardly toward said jaws, means for lifting said upper jaw, means for causing said jaw to move violently downward to strike a blow against a slab resting on said lower jaw, and stop means associated with said upper jaw and limiting the downward movement of said upper jaw.

2. A stone breaking machine comprising a frame, a lower breaker jaw supported on said frame, an upper breaker jaw reciprocably mounted on said frame to move toward and away from said lower jaw, a stone supporting bed having one end adjacent said jaws and its other end remote from said jaws, means for shifting the end of said bed remote from said jaws to move said bed between a horizontal position and a position inclined downwardly toward said jaws, means for lifting said upper jaw, means for causing said jaw to move violently downward to strike a blow against a slab resting on said lower jaw, and stop means associated with said upper jaw and for arresting the downward movement of said upper jaw at a level very slightly below the upper surface of such slab.

3. 'A stone breaking machine comprising a frame, a lower breaker jaw supported on said frame, an upper breaker jaw reciprocably mounted on said frame to move toward and away from said lower jaw, a stone supporting bed having one end adjacent said jaws and its other end remote from said jaws, means for shifting the end of said bed remote from said jaws to move said bed between a horizontal position and a, position inclined downwardly toward said jaws, fluid means for lifting said upper jaw, and fluid means or causing sai law to move violently downward to strike a blow against a slab resting on said lowerjaw.

4. A stone breaking machine comprising a frame, a lower breaker jaw supported on said frame and having a flat, upwardly-presented face, a stone supporting bed having an end located adjacent said lower jaw and its other end remote from said jaw, means supporting said bed normally with its stone supporting surface substantially in the horizontal plane of said face, stop means located adjacent said lower jaw, said lower jaw being between said bed and said stop means, means for lifting that end of said bed adjacent said jaw into a plane above said face, means for lifting the other end of'said bed to a still higher level, and an upper breaker jaw cooperatively reciprocable toward and awayfrom said lower jaw.

5. A stone breaking machine comprising a lower breaker jaw having a flat, upwardly-presented face, a stone supporting bed mounted at one end adjacent said jaw to swing about a vertically movable axis substantiall parallel with said jaw, means for'rnoving said axis, means for swinging said bed about said axis, and an upper breaker jaw cooperable with said lower jaw and movable toward and away from the same.

6. A stone breaking machine comprising a frame, a lower breaker jaw mounted on said frame, a stone supporting bed, cushioning means on said frame for supporting, at times, that end of said bed nearer said jaw, cushioning means on said frame for supporting, at times, that end of' said bed remote from said'jaw, means mounted on said frame and operatively associated with said bed for elevatin the first-named end of said bed above the level of said jaw, other means mounted on said frame and operatively associated with said bed for elevating the last-named end of said bed to a greater degree, and an upper jaw mounted in said frame for reciprocation toward and away from said lower jaw.

7. A stone breaking machine comprising a frame, a lower breaking jaw mounted on said frame, a stone supporting bed, cushioning means on said frame for supporting, at times, that end of said bed nearer said jaw, cushioning means on said frame for supporting, at times, that end of said bed remote from said jaw, means mounted on said frame and operatively associated with said bed for elevating the first-named end of said bed above the level of said jaw, other means mounted on said frame and operatively associated with said bed for elevating the last-named end of said bed to a greater degree, separate stop means for said bed ends, separately adjustable to limit the degree of elevation thereof, and an upper jaw mounted in said frame for reciprocationtoward and away from said lower jaw.

8. A stone breaking machine comprising a frame, a .lower breaker jaw mounted on said frame, a stone supporting bed, cushioning means on said frame for supporting, at times, that end of said bed nearer said jaw, cushioning means on said frame for supporting, at times, that end of said bed remote from said jaw, fluid-operated means mounted on said frame'and operatively associated with said bed for elevating the firstnamed end of said bed above the level of said jaw, other fluid-operated means mounted on said frame and operatively associated with said bed for elevating the last-named end of said bed to a greater degree, and an upper jaw mounted in said frame for reciprocation toward and away from said lower jaw.

A stonef breaking machine comprisingua frame, a lower breaker jaw mounted on said frame, astone supporting bedfcushioning me'ans on said frame for supporting, at tiines", tnat end ofsaidf bed nearer said jaw,'cushioningmeanson said frame forsupporting attim an s'aid bedremote"from saidjaw, means mounted on said frame and operatively associated witlif said bedfor elevatingthe first-named end of; said bed above the level of said jaw, other means 10 mounted on said frame and operatively' associated" with said bed for elevating the last namedend of said bed to a greater degree, afcarriage'nor" mally mounted on said frame for*travel"towar and awayfrom said jaw; said"jaw beinglocam between said bedand said carriage and H jaw mounted in sai'dfr'ame forreciprocation to ward and away from said lower jaw. I v

10. A stone breaking machine comprising" a frame, a lower breaker jaw mountedfon said gq frame, a stone supporting bed, cushioningfmeans'f onsaid frame for supporting; at times, th; rt"'end' of said bed nearer said jaw, cushioning means on said'frame for SupportingQat times, that end of said-bed remotefrom said jaw, means mounted on said frame and operatively associated' wi'th said bed for elevating the' firstnamed end of; said bed above the level ofsaidjaw, other means mounted on said frame-and 'operatively associ' atedwith said bed for'elevating the last-na'med end of said bed tdafgreat'er degreeja 'stopbar mounted'on said frame, said jaw' being located between said bed and said bar, means for ad-f justing said bar toward and away from, sa'id ja'wji in a substantially horizontal plane, meansfor elevating said bar out'of'the path of stone movin thro'ughthe machine, and anupper jaw mounted in said frame for reciprocation toward and away from saidlower jaw 11. A stone breaking machine comprising a 40 frame, a lower breaker jaw mount'ed onfsaidfj frame;- a stone supportin-g'bed, cushioning means; on said frame for supporting'at' times, that" end of said bedf nearer' said jaw, cushioningmean's on" said frame for supporting, at times; that'end of; said bed remote 'fr'ofm saidjaw, means mounted on said frame and operatively associated with: said bed forelevating the first-narhedend ofsaidf bd above the level of said jaw, other means mounted onsaid frame "andoper'atively associ} ated with'saidbed forelevating the last-named" end of'said bed to a greater degree, substantiallyf vertical guide means carried by said frame, slide means mounted for reciprocation on said guide means, a stop bar carried by said slide means and located at all times on that'side of said jaw op: posite 'said'bed, said slide means being"provided with substantially horizontally-extending guide means and said bar being adjustably mounted in said horizontally-extending guide means, means for securing said bar in any desired position rela tive" to said horizontally-extending guide means, and a n' upper jaw mounted in said framejfo'r re-, ciprocation" toward and" away "from said lower aw.

12. A stone breaking machine comprising means for supporting a slab of stone including a dull, narrow, flat surface extending from side to side of said slab and engaging the lower surface of said slab on a line near one end of said slab, said slab being unsupported from the region of said fiat surface to said one end, and means including a second dull, narrow, flat surface substantially coextensive with said first-named surface for delivering to the upper surface of said abs h avyb w k .7 fi ir am in e dclo te i a, an rprmalt saidslab lower surface and slightly offset from said first -named line,

I qmetm f 1 u ng t nebi k riil 1 5'st n whi cc m e est rso p ort:

s g e ier ur a e o als a 1 ,91 a sui able est w a e q'ror ion ei a d la np lec ne b en rsa e t p o d ng. a; iil ,,narrow,,. at

surface in support ng engagement with the lower ia e ij, a d s b end p i n. u ali r n vers wi e dire i fSuch p oiec ogof,

said slab and spaced from said rest, positioning;

, nstea 1 t c r t remo e mse cs r ase at alevelabove said surface, providing anabutment for the projecting end of said slab beyond, said surface then swinging said restaboutan axis near said surface to shift said slab into a h ori zontal position and to retract said end thereof from said abutment, and deliveringa heavy blow,

againstthe upper surface of said slab upon a line parallel with said first-named line.,

l4. "ihe method of producing from faces, the front and rear surfaces of each block being curved forwardly about axes extending transversely of the slaband parallel with thetop .L and bottom, surfaces thereof, whichcomprises the,

narrow, flat surface in, supporting engagement,

with the lower surface of said slab- .end portion upon aline transverse torthe direction of such projection of said slab and spaced from said rest,

andmdelivering a heavy blow against the upper. surfaoeof saidslab upon a line parallel with said first-named line, and located slightly nearer tothe extremity of said end portion'than is said first-named line. l.

15'. The method of producing from slab stone,

blocks having broken front and rear surfaces, the 1 front andirear surfaces of each block being curved 're'arwardly' about axes extending transversely of the slab and parallel with the top and bottom surfaces thereof, which comprises the steps" of supporting the lowersurface of a slab upon'a suitable rest with an end portion of said slab projecting 'beyon'd said rest, providing a dull,

narrow, flat surface in supporting engagement with the lower surface of said slab 'end pc'irtion' upon a line transverse to the direction of such projection of said slab and spaced from saidrest, and delivering a heavy blow ag'a'inst the' upper surfaceof said s'lab'upo'n a line parallel with said first-named line'and located slightly farther from the extremityof said'en'd' portion than" is said" 1621A 'stone breaki ng machinei cornprising a frame; 'r 'r of enera i Jaws moun e Q J saidframe, and meansforfeeding stone between I said jaws comprising a stone supporting be 1,, a first fluid motor comprising a cylindenmovably;

. l i g paringrsiar siat stone, blocks having broken front and rear .SllI-.

11 movement of said bed ends under the influence of their motors, a source of fluid under pressure, conduit means connectingsaid source with both of said cylinders, and valve means controlling flow of fluid to and from said cylinders.

17. A stone breaking machine comprising a frame, a lower jaw mounted in said frame, a stone supporting bed mounted on said frame near said jaw, an upper jaw mounted in said frame for reciprocation toward and away from said lower jaw for cooperation therewith, a stop bar mounted on said frame on that side of said jaws opposite said bed for reciprocation into and out of the path of stone moving through the machine, a first fluid motor mounted on said frame and operatively connected to reciprocate said upper jaw, a second fluid motor mounted on said frame and operatively connected to reciprocate said stop bar, a third fluid motor mounted on said frame and operatively connected to lift that end of said bed nearer said jaws, a fourth fluid motor mounted on said frame and operatively connected to lift the other end of said bed, a source of fluid under pressure, and valvecontrolled conduit means connecting said source with all of said motors.

18. A stone breaking machine comprising a frame, a lower jaw mounted in said frame, a stone supporting bed mounted on said frame near said jaw, an upper jaw mounted in said frame for reciprocation toward and away from said lower jaw for cooperation therewith, a stop bar mounted on said frame on that side of said jaws opposite said bed for reciprocation into and out of the path of stone moving through the machine, a first fluid motor mounted on said frame and operatively connected to reciprocate said upper jaw, a second fluid motor mounted on said frame and operatively connected to reciprocate said stop bar, a third fluid motor mounted on said frame and o-peratively connected to lift that end of said bed nearer said jaws, a fourth fluid motor mounted on said frame and operatively connected to lift the other end of said bed, a source of fluid underv pressure, conduit means connecting said source with each end of said first motor, valve means connected in said conduit mean and operable to control selectively fluid flow to and from both ends of said first motor, other conduit means connecting said source with said second motor, other valve means controlling fluid flow to and from said second motor, further conduit means connecting said source with said third and fourth motors, and further valve means controlling fluid flow to and from said third and fourth motors simultaneously.

19. The machine of claim 4 in which said bedsupporting means is vertically resilient.

20. A stone breaking machine comprising means for supporting a slab of stone including an elongated horizontal blade extending from side to side of said slab and engaging the lower surface of said slab on a line near one end of saidslab, said slab being unsupported from the blade to said one end, and means including a second elongated horizontal blade substantially coextensive and parallel with the first named 12 blade for delivering to the upper surface of the slab a heavy blow on a line parallel with said first named line and located in a plane normal to said slab lower surface and slightly ofiset from said first named line.

21. A stone breaking machine comprising means for supporting a slab of stone including an elongated horizontal blade extending from side to side of said slab on a line near one end of said slab, said slab being unsupported from the blade to said one end, and means including a second elongated horizontal blade substantially coca:- tensive and parallel with the first named blade for delivering to the upper surface of the slab a heavy blow on a line parallel with said first named line and located in a plane normal to said slab lower surface and located slightly nearer to the extremity of said slab end portion than is the first named line.

'22. The method of producing from slab stone, bZOcks having broken front and rear surfaces, the

front and rear surfaces of each block being curved about axes extending transversely of the slab and parallel with the top and bottom surfaces thereor, which comprises the steps of supporting the lower surface of the slab upon a suitable rest with an end portion of the slab projecting beyond the rest, providing a dull narrow surface in supporting engagement with the lower surface of said slab end portion upon a line transverse to the direction of projection of said "slab and spaced from said rest, and delivering a heavy blow against the upper surface of said slab upon a line parallel with and slightly ofiset from said first named line in the direction of the v length of the slab.

23. A stone breaking machine comprising a frame, a lower breaker jaw mounted on said frame, a stone supporting bed including a series of freely rotatable rollers parallel to the breaker jaw to support a slab of stone for movement toward the jaw, means pivotally supporting the end of the bed remote from the jaw whereby the end of the bed adjacent to the jaw can move vertically, a fluid motor mounted on the frame and connected to the end of the bed adjacent to the jaw to elevate it above the level of the jaw so that a slab on the bed can move over the jaw and to lower it below the level of the jaw so that the slab will rest on the jaw, a manually operable control valve for the motor mounted on the frame, and an upper breaker jaw mounted in said frame for reciprocation toward and away from the lower jaw.

JOSEPH SOLOMITO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent or in the original patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

